10 Great Jobs with a Religion Degree

Submitted by Jacob Simon on Thursday, Nov 21st, 2013

People often shied away from taking religious courses as they felt there were no jobs in this field. Currently however, religious students are having knowledge and skills from their relevant course outlines that sharpen them for their career pursuits in other fields, some of which are of business oriented nature. There are numerous non-profit making religious organizations that partner with local, state and national government agencies to chart out programs that are meant to improve the welfare of citizens. Such programs include refugee resettlement, drug and alcohol treatment, safe water and sanitation among others.

Here is a list of ten great jobs religion that anyone taking a course in religious studies could benefit from*:

A youth worker has the enormous task of promoting personal, educational, social and emotional development of young people. Age can be between 13- 19. At times, there are people who may be older than 25 years. A youth worker responds to the interests and needs of young people and can work in many different settings. They act as a mentor to the people they work with[1].

An advice worker has the duty to give free advice to clients on a range of issues. These include impartial and confidential advice. These workers offer guidance in debts, employment, housing, education, welfare and spirituality matters. They may offer advice via email, phone, or face-to-face.

A social worker helps clients to cope with changes and circumstances that may challenge their lives. They may help people with disabilities, addictions, those who have been adopted, etc. They aid in the development of plans to improve their client’s well-being, as well as respond to crisis situations in which a client may be in danger[2].

A charity officer works for charitable organizations. They play various roles that include business development, finance and marketing, business development, personal relationship and other multiple tasks. Charity organizations are set up to benefit mostly underprivileged members of the society. Due to their mushrooming, these organizations have created lots of employment opportunity to job-seekers*.

A newspaper journalist writes stories or religious journals for publication in the media. The media can be local or international. Those who have graduated with a degree in religious studies may choose to specialize in that area or work specifically for religious publications if they become newspaper journalists.

A civil service administrator ensures that services are delivered to different departments which make up the civil service. These duties involve compiling reports, working on policy documents and research work*.

An archivist plays the role of acquisition, management and maintenance of materials which bear significant importance to individuals, groups, organizations as well as international leaders. Today, many archivists use computers to create electronic records of events, making it easier for people to find them as well as conserve paper. Most are employed in educational or museum settings[3].

A broadcast journalist has the duty of investigating, acquiring and reporting news in consideration of the current affairs. This information needs to be fair, accurate and balanced when presented through the newspaper, radio or television. With the emergence of the internet, it has become the quickest way to disseminate news*. Someone with a religion background may focus on that “beat”, or area of focus.

An editorial assistant gives the necessary help to the publication stages of a book, journal, magazine or any other material for publication. On a given day, they may be charged with various editorial and administrative tasks, depending on what it is that is necessary in order for publication to happen*.

As much as some graduates wish to be employed in the religious ministry, there are a wide range of career options available when one has completed their studies. There are some careers, however, that may require professional or vocational training. Fields such as marketing or human resources may require one to be armed with a post graduate course to have some skills and necessary knowledge. To increase chances of getting employment, one needs to have experience. This makes it necessary to talk to professionals in the field of interest and to consider work placements. One could also work as a volunteer to improve their job prospects.

Would you like to pursue a career in the religious field? Get information about religion schools in your area and online using our religion school finder at the top of this page. ↑